Data communication systems typically transfer data from a source to an end user by routing the data in packets through a series of nodes connected by links. All links have physical limits on their data-carrying capacity or available bandwidth, and therefore may benefit from compression of the data they convey in order to increase their effective data throughput.
A number of standardized data packet formats and protocols have been developed to facilitate various aspects of data communication. For example, Internet Protocol or IP format permits flexibility in the routing of data between a source and a destination, while other formats convey voice data with limits on the time delays, so as to ensure that the voice data can be reconstructed with adequate fidelity at the receiving end. It is often desirable for data in various formats to utilize the same data links as part of their transmission paths. This is particularly true for links directed to solving the “last mile” problem, that is, connecting end users to the various communications nets. Since such “last mile” solutions should preferably address all of the end user's needs, a wide range of protocols will need to be accommodated.